training_mar2012reflections

Thursday 15th March 2012, ILRI Campus Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

15.30: Reflection session – what worked, what was difficult, what needs to be changed.

• Abate: Thanked the Debre Zeit team for making all planned for farmers available and present on time.
• Ben: Time-keeping was relatively good considering that it was the first time.

• Gender balance should be given more emphasis and consideration next time
• Farmer selection: Farmers should be variable in terms of age, knowledge base, etc.

• The participatory rural appraisal (PRA) exercise had

1. Predominantly young farmers
2. Relatively well educated farmers
3. Too few women (1 out of 5 in two groups; 2 out of 5 in one group)
4. Too few farmers. (The ELF trainees felt that farmers were few – each group had 5 farmers. Abate stressed that during the Field exercises to come later, teams should ensure a minimum of 12 farmers during the PRA exercises.)

• In two of the groups, one of two farmers dominated the conversations. Groups were advised by Ben to avoid such dominance which may lead to bias of opinions. [Balancing discussions can be achieved by ensuring eye contact with all farmers and prompting answers from each one of them, paying attention to the more quiet ones.]
• Getachew: Advised ELF trainees to avoid reading questions in front of farmers and asking each other what the question means in front of the farmers, as was the case yesterday. Questions should be internalized before carrying out interviews and prompting for further answers should be encouraged at all times.
• Adugna: The exercise should look less like an interview, and more like a casual conversation to make the farmers at ease.
• Getashaw: While engaging farmers, don’t rely strictly on Q&A, but instead volunteer information from them
• Ben: Make conversations as natural as possible and avoid reading the questions directly
• Abate: After PRA session, there should be a break before the next individual and techfit sessions (E.g. a 2hr session in the morning and another 2hr session in the afternoon)
• Ramana: Shy farmers should not be selected for the exercise. There were some yesterday who were too shy to talk even when prompted.
• Farmers were uncomfortable with the presence of the Woreda officials, thus suggestions were made that Woreda officials should not be present. However, Getachew disagreed and said Woreda officials have to make that decision, otherwise sessions with farmers can be viewed with suspicion by officials if they are left out.

• ELF trainees still uncertain about the VCA tool thus clarification given by Getachew
• Getachew will revise the tool (together with Alan, Bil) to make it shorter and more simple. After revision, Abate and Getachew will meet with each site group individually to discuss the tool further
• One person suggested that VCA be integrated with FEAST, but Getachew emphasised that each tool has to be used on its own